Primary and Secondary Education

Alberta School System

The Alberta Kindergarten to Grade 12 school system includes programs for pre-school, elementary, junior high school and senior high school students. After senior high, students may choose to continue their studies at the post-secondary institution. The following chart outlines Alberta's grade system and general corresponding age levels.

Grades Age Category
Kindergarten (K) 4-6 years Pre-school
1-6 6-12 years Elementary
7-9 12-15 years Junior High
10-12 15-18 years Senior High

The traditional school year in Alberta runs from September to June with summer vacation in July and August.  There are also holidays in the winter (December) and in the spring (March or April).  In senior high school the school year is divided into two semesters. The first semester is from September until the end of January and the second is from February to the end of June, with summer vacation in July and August.  

The Elementary (Primary) School System

Elementary education covers the first seven years of schooling (Kindergarten to Grade 6). In Kindergarten, students are introduced to the basics in literacy and math, the school environment and learn to cooperate with others.

The Secondary School System

After elementary school, students enter the secondary school system. The secondary school system is divided into junior high (Grades 7 to 9), also known as middle school in some regions, and senior high school (Grades 10 to 12).

A variety of programs are offered to prepare students for the workplace or to meet university entrance requirements. Students have required courses as well as optional courses.

Graduation

Alberta grants secondary diplomas to students based on a credit system. To complete senior high, students must be awarded 100 credits. Students are awarded credits for each course they complete with satisfactory results. In addition, Grade 12 students must write and pass diploma examinations in core subject areas to graduate. Diploma examinations are provincially administered and account for 50 percent of the students' final grade in the course. For more information on Graduation Requirements, please visit Alberta Education’s Guide to Education.

The Post-Secondary School System

Once secondary school has been successfully completed, a student may wish to apply to a post-secondary institution. Explore the countless options available to you by clicking here.